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Child Abuse Prevention Programs & Services

SAFEchild, Wake County’s only non profit child abuse prevention agency that provides direct services to families is pleased to announce that seven of the eight professional program coordinators on staff have earned the highest certification offered by the North Carolina Parent Education Network-the Certified Parent Educator credential (CPE-1) and one coordinator has earned a CPE-111. The North Carolina Parent Education Network (NCPEN) created a multi-level system whereby parenting educators can work toward completing the requirements for one of four levels of a credential that recognizes their experience and education devoted to supporting parents and their quest to raise successful children. SAFEchild’s program coordinators who have achieved NCPEN’s certification are:

·        Michelle Putterman, RN, PHN, CPE-1

·        Stacey Sullivan, LCSW, MSW, CPE-1

·        Ginna Bustle, LCSW, MSW, CPE-1 

·        Cristin DeRonja, M.Ed., LPC, NCC, CPE-1

·        Gemimah Rodriguez, MA, CPE-1

·        Ginger Espino, MSW, CPE-1

·        Valerie Holland, LSW, CPE-1

·        Stephanie Castillo, BSW, CPE-111

 

Parenting & Family Education Classes

No matter what your situation as a parent, caregiver, or family member, SAFEchild has a program designed just for you. Our goal is to give you the skills, information, and support you need to be positively involved with your children.

1. Welcome Baby

   Welcome Baby pairs an experienced mother with a new mother whose child is enrolled in Early HeadStart. SAFEchild's trained volunteers act as mentors, friends, and parent educators throughout the crucial first year of parenthood. Through a collaboration with Early HeadStart, Welcome Baby reaches moms who are  experiencing one or more of the following issues: Living in a low income family, being a teen age mother, having a baby with a disability, being a single mom, experiencing post partum depression, having a history of mental illness, substance abuse and/or child abuse in her family of origin, being socially isolated, experiencing domestic violence, being under educated, having difficulty with coping with the demands of being a parent, and/or having multiple children close in age.
   

2. Crianza Con Carino (Raising Children with Love and Tenderness)

   This 12- to 24-week family education program blends child-rearing information with social supports to strengthen Spanish-speaking families living in Wake County. Culturally sensitive, bi-lingual volunteers facilitate parent and children's groups using a nationally recognized curriculum. The program is offered to urban and rural families who may be experiencing family violence. Crianza is partially funded by Wake County SmartStart, The Town of Cary, and Catholic Charities, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Parents and their children attend together but meet in separate groups.
   

3. MENS Program - Men Engaged in Nurturing Strategies

   MENS is a 11-week program that helps fathers make the connection between the violence they experienced in their own families of origin and the violence they are exhibiting in their current family. The course teaches communication skills, anger management, and positive discipline. MENS is partially funded by Wake County Government, Community Partnerships.
   

4. The MOVE Program (Mothers Overcoming Violence through Education and Empowerment)

   SAFEchild's MOVE Program helps mothers minimize the impact of domestic violence on their children. The program reduces isolation, builds self-esteem, and reinforces positive parenting. Mothers who have been involved in domestic altercations with a significant other learn that the challenges they face are not insurmountable. Participating mothers discuss with each other the frustrations and successes involved in their challenging family circumstances. The MOVE Program enables mothers to feel more competent and confident in their parenting role. The 12-week program also addresses risk factors for child maltreatment while enhancing family strengths. MOVE is a collaboration with Interact with funding from the The Duke Endowment and The Daniels Foundation.
   

5. The Nurturing Program

   SAFEchild's 12-week Nurturing Program helps parents learn positive discipline techniques and develop appropriate expectations for their children based on their developmental stages. The weekly sessions teach parents how to increase their empathy, communicate better, and strengthen their stress and anger-management skills. Parents and children attend together. The program is partially funded by the City of Raleigh and the North Raleigh Exchange Club.
   

6. The PLUS Program: Parents Learning, Understanding, Sharing

   Using children's literature, the 12-week PLUS program encourages cooperation and helps families develop good communication skills and manage stress and anger. A story-sharing activity group for the children enhances self-esteem and relationship skills. Partial funding for the PLUS Program is from Wake County Human Services.
   

7. Strengthening Families Program

   Strengthening Families is a 15-week evidence-based family skills building program serving families with children between the ages of three and five. During this 37.5-hour program, parents and their children learn family communication skills, reduce their level of conflict and stress, and increase their positive discipline skills. Parents and the children meet in separate groups for the first part of each session and then come together to practice skills that strengthens and supports individual family members and the family as a unit. Strengthening Families is implemented in collaboration with Triangle Family Services with funding from the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services.
   

8. Circle of Parents

   Our graduates asked for this weekly parent information and support group for families who have successfully completed a SAFEchild program. SAFEchild alumni use the program to keep their parenting skills up-to-date and to maintain the strong ties they develop with SAFEchild staff and other participants. Circle of Parents is supported in part with funds from the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services and White Memorial Presbyterian Church.
   

9. Funny Tummy Feelings

   SAFEchild reaches some 5,000 first-graders every year with this interactive program that teaches children skills to protect themselves from physical and sexual abuse.
   

10. The SAFEchild Advocacy Center

     

We are happy to talk with you about what program(s) may be the best for you and your family. Call us at 919-743-6140. Submit our contact form online, or print it out in Adobe PDF format and return it to SAFEchild, 864 West Morgan Street, Raleigh, NC 27603. Someone from SAFEchild will contact you.